The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-10
FEDERAL CONSPIRACY.
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EsCAP7SFRA 'A DEATH.
The Ex-COnfcderate \ s"ont ~
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teressing storA

Ing Herald Of this city will pa, OMEN g
morrow six column conssA 'ution
giving ca account Of recent imp 'rtan'
interviews with Jefferson Davis IL
these interviews Mr.. Davis, an ,pl
other things, charges that the Ftds =
Government consplred during ths In
wsr to have him ascassinated. On
this subject Mr.. Davis says: While the
Confederate Government was at Mont.
gonery, Ala, in 1851, J received ami
anonymous letter from Philadelphia, !.
the substance Of which was that the
Governor Of Pennsylvania had re-
leased q noted d,saerado fro1su
the penitentisry upon The
condition that he would 90 10
Montgomery and assaeeinsie me.
with the promise Of q reward OF 800.
600 II he succeeded. That after re-
lease the man stated that be could NOT
probably succeed alone and gave the
name OF another convict Of charscie r
like his own with whose assistant he
felt sure Of success, ar d that the sec.
ond convict was rel, ased to accompany
the frat.
Mr.. Davis then gave with much cir.
cumstantiality the details Of yarious At
tempts on his life. Once he discover.
ed man watching him behind a
brick wall surrounding bis (Dsyis's)
residence, and followed him. The
man ran, and apparently escaped
through the barn, and, as Davis be-
lievee, with the connivance of a color
ed servant. While riding out to visit
the defensive works around
Richmond. accompanied by Col
William Preston Johnston, a pis.
toll ball, evidently intended for "busi.
nese," passed just between them. This
shot came from an apparently vacant
house. Subsequent search revealed an
armed man under the floor. He was
sent to Gen. Lee by Mr.. Davis's orders
with an explanatory note, and the
hope that he would be put In the front
line to stop q ball intended for o bet
ter man."
On another occasion, In the suburbs
OF Richmond, shot was fred at the
President OF the Confederacy from be-
hind q hish wall. Mr.. Davis con.
tinued: There we're many reasons
before the Dahlgreen raid for believ.
ing that efforts, inconsistent with the
rules OF war az praeiiced by civilized
na'ionti we're made TO tecure asaesipa-
ton, especially the President, and to
acquire information by spies, resident
and trsnsitory. and that large rewards
were cffered for such services, insaoSu
ding arson and murder.
On one occasion, when / was knA
TO be travelling on a railroad to n
army, information was brought by ~
lady who had overheard the converse
ton In barn, that obs.ructions were
10 be placed on the track, and the In.
formation YVES verified by detaeh-
ment sent, who found the obstruo-
tons and rome United States toldien
secreted In barn near the place where
the train was Pxpeced 10 be wrecked.
Mr. Davis gives his motives and po-
litical s'a'us In 1851, and claims that
he never was disunionist. but thai
the Northern Sera ors rejected, al
that time, every proposition that
promised paolfoaiion. He refers 10
b. 7. Buffers voting for him fify.
seven times at Charleston, 8. q u
1850, as candidate OF the Dsmoorssio
party for President 10 rrevent
dlsunion, and declares that he did no1
desire 10 be President OF the Confed>
erscy, but took prompt M d ,.as -
thought, sdequsie mesns 10 prevcro
H." After his election and inaugun
ton vt MONTGOMERY all bis de
we'o directed toward securing for he
seeding States q pc G, ful eeparatIoD,
though be never thought OF Rdne
back into the Union 10 escape a last
resort 10 the srbitrament OF arms.
Mr. Davis discufted his experieuDes
90 Secretary OF War In Mr.. Pieroe's
Cabinet and as United States Senator
from Mississippi, his career as Presi-
dent ciihe Southern Confedeiscy, and
was eloquent In his pIaIse Of Gems.
Albert sidney Johnston, Lee, Jackson
and A. p. Hill He says A. s. John
ston had no peer on either side durir2
tho war, II be had In American hiGfol(
~, and HIS loss 10 the COME deracy
WAS lrrepsrable. Lee was bis associate
or a friend at West Point, with Leoni.
das Polk and James B. Msgrudss, and
there never was aught bat harmony
between them.
Speaking OF the seven dsys' battles
around RichmonI, Mr.. Davis says
Gen. Lee conceived and executed the
desperate plan 10 turn the flank and
rear OF McOlellsns army, and added
that the failure 10 annihilAte the Fed.
ersl army vas due chiefly 10 the Tact
that Lee had no maps OF tke country
below Richmond, aud tina, bis amy
moved In ignorance Of the country and
with guides who, for the most part,
proved themselves utterly int FL
Gent. He Gays that Lees OBJ
ject IN the retreat from Petersburg
in the Last dsye Of the war was 10 reach
DAaville, end then unite with Jshn-
slon and crueh Sherman before Grant
coad ioin him. He declares that Nc
Olelland and Meade were the two best
Federal generals, and n the former
hsd been pc mued TO carry out his,
Campaign tkshnl hlCutuOnu ~ I've Uhu
planned II, and had recei sed the
Hearty tupport Of The Federal War
Depsrtment, Il would have iesultsd
disastrous 10 the Coniederates.
Speaking Of stoneuall jackson, lie
ssId that bed he moi fal en- at Chan
cellomyille the FEDERAL Army Of the
Potomsc uonld have disappeared into
history under ciieumstAnces far Differ.
snt from thots which marked liz die,
solution two ytsis later.
Mr.. Davit Gays he has No vial 10
enter public Ito. hui is deeply solicit
Gus Tor the w fare and prosperity, ?
TIE whole county, and rays the onI
disturbing clements 10 he discerned
now are the Efforts OF The extremists
Of the North to keep alive for political
purposes the animoslties and hatreds
oil the past. He says he thinks the
time has come when reason should be
substituted for passion, and when men
who have fought In support Of their
honest convictions shall be able and
] willing 10 do Justice 10 each other.